A Hero's Christmas
by M-Angel 05
Summary: Serena is putting on a Christmas party for everybody, while Grunt is learning what Christmas means to the humans aboard the Normandy; Ann is trying to prepare her crew for the fight of their lives.
1. Chapter 1: Christmas Eve 2185

**Chapter 1**: _Christmas Eve 2185_

* * *

**Date**: _December 24, 2185_

**Location**: _Above Hagalaz_

Walking through the _Normandy_ in the early morning after a battle was always fun for Serena. However, today was different. Today was Christmas Eve. In her arms were two boxes and behind her was Grunt, who for life of himself, couldn't figure out what this tiny human wanted in the six boxes he was carrying that were marked _fragile_. They came into the Mess Hall to find it deserted, for once. "Just sit them there Grunt," she said pointing to one of the tables in the room. Surprisingly he did it without dropping a single box. He then took a step away from her and watched what she was doing.

Serena took out a round black object from a box she's been carrying and flipper the switch on the bottom. She then placed it in the corner of the room, just as she did so a holographic picture appeared of a evergreen tree decorated beautifully and shining brightly in the room. "What's that for?" Grunt ask, now even more curious of what she was doing.

"It's a Christmas tree." she stated.

"What's Christmas?" he asked which caused her to pause in what she was doing.

"Christmas is the celebration of...uh...the ultimate gift that was given to humanity," she said as she opened another box and began decorating the room itself.

"What was this gift?" he asked.

"Well, some people believe it was a child and others believe the gift was the ability to forgive one another." she paused. "Truthfully Christmas was created by a religious group known as Christians who wanted to celebrate their Lords birth."

Grunt chuckled. "Sounds stupid."

"Now days Christmas is about giving gifts to those we consider our friends and family." She finished putting up the lights and garland around the room and turned to him. "Tomorrow is officially Christmas. Today is Christmas Eve. I just wanted every one on board to have some fun."

"Do we have to give everybody a gift?" he asked.

"No, but it's nice to do so."

"Humph." he crossed his arms over his chest.

"There are also a lot of stories that humans tell during this time of year too." she picked up one of the boxes Grunt had carried and opened it to reveal paper wrapped packages with names on them.

These packages got his attention when he saw two marked _Grunt._ "Who tells these stories?" he asked as he watched her place the Grunt named packages in the back of the holographic tree.

"Well everybody has a Christmas story to tell." When she turned around towards him she saw Grunt was gone. "Huh. Guess he doesn't want to hear one of mine." Shrugging Serena continued to decorated the Mess Hall for later when everybody was awake.

* * *

Grunt walked down the hall towards the Main Battery and pounded on its door. When it opened it revealed one tired Commander Ann Shepard and one smug looking turian. "Yes Grunt?" Ann asked.

"Tell me a Christmas story," he said sitting down across from Garrus' bed.

"Wait..a what?" she asked.

"I want to know my Battlemaster's Christmas Story," he said, clearly not taking a no from her.

"Who'd you hear about Christmas from?" Garrus asked as he sat down his bed next to Ann.

"The little human Serena," he stated.

"Okay," she said thoughtfully. "Well most of my past Christmas' have been fighting something or somebody."

"Let me hear it then." He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Umm...okay," she shrugged as she began telling him about the time she took out a big named batarian slaver who was hidden on a turian colony.

* * *

Serena suddenly felt two hands grab her around her waist. Turning her head she saw Joker smiling smugly. "What are you so happy about?"

"What don't I have to smile about?" he chuckled. "This time last year I was on Arcturus teaching some snotty nosed brats on how to fly and was living in my Mom's house, who had just gotten her seventh boyfriend. It...wasn't a good time of year for me."

"Say no more."

He peeked over at the gifts under the tree."So which is mine?"

"You'll see tomorrow." She smirked when she heard him groan.

"Come on babe, just one peekaboo?" Turning in his arms Serena got to see the cutest puppy dog face he'd ever given her.

"Nope," she shook her head.

He groaned. "Meanie."

"Morning Joker," came a voice behind them, which startled Serena tiny bit.

Standing there with her hand on her hip was the Commander. "Morning Shep," Serena said with a smile. "Sleep well?"

A blush spread across the Commanders cheeks. "Yes, I uh...did." She cleared her throat. "Though I was rudely awakened by my baby Krogan this morning who wanted me tell him a Christmas story."

"Oh...sorry," Serena apologized.

Ann waved the apology away. "S'okay. As long as he doesn't come to me and ask about the birds and the bees, I think I can handle it." She looked over the decorations and presents under the tree and nodded. "I've got a few to add for under there."

"Oh commander," Joker began. "Liara requested that you and Garrus come down later today."

Ann nodded. "Thanks Joker."

* * *

"...and that was the best goddamned Christmas ever!" Zaeed told Grunt.

Legion turned its head towards the merc. "The possibility of having intercourse and multiple orgasms for a male human seems illogical. You would've suffered from exhaustion before you could've gone on to the fifth female."

"You calling me liar you bit hunk of bolts?" Zaeed asked getting up from his seat.

"No. This unit is just curious as to how this possible from all the data it's compiled on humans." Legion responded.

"You wanna hear a real Christmas story?" came Jacks voice from the darkened side of the room. Grunt turned towards her. Ready for another human story. "This one Christmas I was on earth spending it with a good old merc at a bar..."

* * *

Samara walked into the Mess Hall to find Serena talking to the Mess Hall Sergeant. The old cook knew nothing on how to cook a good meal, let alone Christmas Dinner. "If you can find the food, you're welcome to cook it." he stated and walked away with a cup of coffee.

Turning Serena saw the Justicar looking curiously at the Christmas tree. "Do the asari have a holiday that's like Christmas?"

"Yes, it is the Festival of Life, where we thank the goddess for allowing us to be." she looked at the young human. "Your species is so young, yet you have so many traditions. It makes most uncomfortable to see how quickly your kind adapts itself to a certain way of life or hardship."

"What do you think of our kind?"

The Matriarch Justicar looked down at her. "I see hope." she then turned away leaving Serena to her things.

* * *

Grunt sat down looking at the human doctor. "My best Christmas memory would been when I was a child growing up in London..." she began when the door opened to reveal Ann walking in with a bottle of Serrice Brandy. "Oh Commander, do join us."

"Can't going down to see Liara. Thought I'd bring this back to you." she handed the doctor her liquor.

The doctor smiled fondly at the bottle. "Thank-you Shepard." she turned back to the young Krogan. "Now were was I? Oh yes, London."

Grunt raised his hand. "Does this story have you shooting, killing, or having sex in it?"

"Well...no." she replied and watched him stand and leave. "Well, that was odd." Looking down at the brandy she smiled. "Well that doesn't mean I can't have fun with you." she said as she poured herself a glass to forget her woes.

* * *

**M-Angel**: Well there's chapter 1. There will be one more chapter to this story. Also this story occurs before the Collector Base, but after Serena and Joker began to see each other.

**xoxoangii**: Yay for Christmas stories!


	2. Chapter 2: Christmas Day 2185

**Chapter 2**: _Christmas Day 2185_

* * *

Serena's eyes opened slowly when she suddenly saw an inpatiently waiting krogan starring at her. "Grunt...what-" she looked at her omni-tool and groaned. "It's 5 in the morning. What do you want?"

He growled a bit before speaking. "You said everybody has a Christmas story to tell. So I asked around for some human Christmas stories."

Serena suddenly had a bad feeling. "And?" she asked dreading what he'd say.

"I learned that humans tend to have a lot of sex on Christmas." He crossed his arms acrossed his chest. "Or they tend to kill a lot on Christmas. It depends on who you ask really."

"You asked everybody?" her left eyebrow raised doubtfully.

"Only those on the squad," he admitted with a shrug. "I find what they say is more important than others."

"And that's why you got those kinds of stories."

"I asked the Battlemaster and her mate."

"Yeah, she told me." Serena sighed. "Christmas isn't just about those things, you know that right?"

He glared at her. "I like those things though." He looked back towards her. "When do we open the presents?"

"When everybody is up," she admitted, hoping he'd leave so she could go back to sleep.

"Good. Then get up." He stood and left her laying on her bed.

Getting out of bed, still in her pj's, and followed Grunt down the hall to the Mess Hall where there was a bunch of commotion going on inside. Ann was leaning against Garrus who was drinking some sort of dextro coffee. When they saw her walk in Ann smirked and waved her over to them. As soon as she was close enough she spoke. "It seems somebody got Grunt very excited about his first Christmas and he refuses to let anybody go to bed until we open presents and eat a Christmas dinner."

"I'm not cooking until later though," she complained. Ann shrugged just as Serena heard an automated throat clear.

Upon turning around everybody began quieting down as Joker stood at the front of the room near the huge pile presents. It would seem that more had been added since Serena had gone to bed. "Everybody shut it!" Jack yelled at those who hadn't heard EDI, of course they shut up afterword. "Speak gimpy."

Joker rolled his eyes at her. "Okay, since Grunt won't let anybody go to bed until we open these gifts, or in most everybody's case, woke you up to unwrap gifts; I'm gonna do this as quickly as possible." he smiled. "So without any further words..." he picked up the first gift and handed it to Legion who threw it at Ann. "Shep your first."

As Ann opened her gift others began to do the same as Legion and Joker handed out presents. Within a half hour all the gifts had been handed out and everybody began opening them. From a new sniper rifle from Ann to Garrus to a new quarian suit to Tali from Anonymous Gifter, which everybody was guessing was Legion. Jacob got Miranda a new omni-tool with an omni-knife attachment. Thane got a new set of knives from Kelly, who got what was suppose to be a gag gift but took it as a real one. It was a STD checker with two boxes of condoms and two different dildos, which got quite a few snorts. She got that from Zaeed, who winked at her and got her to giggle. Ken got Gabby a heart necklace and she got him a new instrument for engineering.

Joker hobbled over to Serena and handed her a box. She opened it and smirked. It was a holo picture frame with their images on it from the club. Standing she walked over to the tree and picked up Joker's gift and handed him the box. Upon opening it up he smirked and took out one of two hats. Taking the old SR hat off he replaced it with a Christmas stocking. The second hat was an exact replica of the old SSV Normandy hat he used to wear. "Pick it up," she said pointing at the hat. Doing so he saw a tiny model ship of the _SSV Normandy_. "Thought you'd like that."

Looking up at her he smiled. "Love it."

It was then that everybody heard Grunt yell out in victory. "Shepard!" he yelled lifting up a brand new heavily modded shotgun. "Thank-you Battlemaster!" he laughed happily, which caused everybody to laugh and begin opening their other gifts.

* * *

By noontime, most of the night shift was in bed or heavily drinking coffee in order stay awake and hear a story or two from Zaeed or watching a vid from earth about Christmas. So by noon both Serena and Sergeant Gardner had brought out Christmas Lunch/Dinner. "Who cooked?" Garrus inquired as Ann took a bite of meat.

"Serena," she stated. "There's dextro food up there too."

It only took Tali and Garrus a second before they rush up to the buffet style dinner table. Serena handed Tali a specially made dinner plate that had been vacuum sealed as it cooked so nothing could get into the food and harm the quarian's immune system.

In the end both the Christmas dinner and the gifting had gone off without a hitch. While everybody was currently happy and full of glee, there was one person in the room who was dreading what tomorrow would bring. Ann Shepard had told Joker to begin the Reaper IFF testing tomorrow. She didn't know what would happen, but she wanted everybody to have one day of happiness before they ran into the suicide mission that would either kill them all or they'd save a lot of people.

Whether fate thought it would be funny to send a twist in the story that would be forever talked about for generations, nobody would know; but nobody would expect the twists and turns this story would take...nobody, not even fate. So for one day fate and her accomplices stayed quiet. They let the story that would be forever changed, stay in peace. If only for one day.

* * *

**M-Angel**: Well that it for the Christmas Special everybody. Have a _Very Merry Christmas!_

**xoxoangii**: Merry Christmas to you all!


End file.
